Denise Abdale
Author Bio
I’m a veteran educator of 40 years and a speech therapist. Most of my students were immigrant, learning disabled, physically disabled, and ESL. I’ve had students who were homeless and in jail before they reached 8th grade. Many of them either could not read or had great difficulty reading/ comprehending what they read. When I write my books, I keep my “kids” in mind; how if they only had early intervention when they were 3 or 4, or if they had received services earlier, then they would not have had certain things happen to them. Anything I can do to get books into the hands of kids to enable them to become proficient language learners and readers is my goal. For them to become independent readers and to be able to fully comprehend what they read and tell me in their own words what the story is about, answer questions is exhilarating for me. It’s why I became an educator and now a writer of children’s books.
Author Q & A
- What do you do when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing I’m a passionate gardener, a skilled needleworker, an avid mystery reader and a fan of 1930’s-1940’s film noir mysteries.
- Is there anything that you are passionate about besides writing?
Yes, there is. I’m a big supporter of Donors Choose. I give generously to my local schools to support those teachers, especially the teachers who have classrooms of pre-k -grade 2 and special ed. I also support many animal charities, such as animal shelters like Bideawee, NorthShore Animal League, ASPCA etc.
- What inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to write a book about a character that seemed to have an impossible wish. But they were determined to make that wish come true.
- What makes your book different on the subject of perseverance, determination?
I wrote the book with the child who will be reading it in mind. The little snowflake never gives up despite repeated failures.
- What can we learn from your book?
My book documents the journey of a little snowflake who has determination, grit, hope and that if you want something bad enough, you will find a way of accomplishing it.
- Do you have more books planned?
Yes, I have many more books already written. They just need to be published.
- Can you give us a hint about them?
HAHA well, all I can say is there’s a series about two stray cats, a detective book, a whole assortment of independent stories, a trilogy middle grade novel and I’m toying with a graphic novel but along the lines of Captain Underpants – nothing too heavy.
- What is your writing process, what gets you writing, where do your ideas come from?
I don’t have a specific writing process, but I do some of my best writing between 2 AM and 5 AM. I’m usually sound asleep, then start having a dream with dialogue running through it. My eyes creak open, and I know that I have to get up immediately and start writing. For if I don’t, that scene or children’s book that I just dreamt, will be gone forever, never to be remembered again.
I get ideas for my stories from many different things – a picture in a catalog, a tv show, a street billboard, a childhood memory, people from my childhood, former students, my son misreading something and telling me about it.
- What is your latest book about?
The Snowflake’s Wish
author: Denise Abdale
Imprint: Reading Nook Press
website: https://deniseabdaleauthor.com
ISBN Ebook: 978-1-968701-00-0
ISBN Paperback: 979-8-9908143-9-4
ISBN Hardback: 978-1-968701-01-7
Library of Congress #: 2025918574
pages: 32
ages: 4-8 years old